Commuters using Golden Arrow Bus Services will face higher transport costs from Monday, 11 August, as the company implements an average fare increase of 4% across all its products.
Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer said the decision comes after months of holding off on price hikes, despite rising operational expenses.
“In December last year, when we usually would raise our fares, we decided not to. We waited as long as we could before implementing an increase; unfortunately, that time has come,” she explained.
“So, to give an idea of what that looks like, Mitchell’s plans are Cape Town, a five-ride product, which is a new product that we have on our routes. It was R129; it will now be R134. The cost for a weekly was R239, it will now be R248.50. And a monthly was R1052, and it will now be R1093.”
Dyke-Beyer said the adjustment is necessary to cover escalating costs, including labour, spares, consumables, and diesel, with some equipment having to be imported at higher prices.
“We try to absorb cost increases for as long as possible, but to remain sustainable, fare adjustments become unavoidable.”
The company said it remains mindful of the financial challenges facing passengers and will continue to manage expenses carefully.
VOC News
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